Proverbs · Chapter 17 · Healing
Proverbs 17:22 — Bible Verse Meaning & Context
For the wound that has not yet closed.
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Both translations, side by side
WEB · World English Bible
"A cheerful heart makes good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones."
KJV · King James Version
"A merry8056 heart3820 doeth good3190 like a medicine1456: but a broken5218 spirit7307 drieth3001 the bones1634. like: or, to"
How the translations differ: The WEB is a modern public-domain revision of the 1901 ASV; the KJV dates to 1611. The KJV uses merry, doeth, like, broken, while the WEB renders these as cheerful, makes, crushed, dries. Both translate the same underlying Greek or Hebrew text — the differences are stylistic, not theological.
In context
Proverbs 17:22 in Proverbs 17
A Bible verse rarely stands alone. Here is Proverbs 17:22 read with the verses immediately before and after — the surrounding flow of Proverbs 17. Read the full chapter →
- v.20 One who has a perverse heart doesn’t find prosperity, and one who has a deceitful tongue falls into trouble.
- v.21 He who becomes the father of a fool grieves. The father of a fool has no joy.
- v.22 A cheerful heart makes good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones.
- v.23 A wicked man receives a bribe in secret, to pervert the ways of justice.
- v.24 Wisdom is before the face of one who has understanding, but the eyes of a fool wander to the ends of the earth.
Book background
About the Book of Proverbs
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Genre
- Wisdom literature
- Author
- Solomon (primarily), Agur, Lemuel
- Date written
- c. 970–700 BC
- Audience
- Young men learning the wisdom of the covenant
- Chapters
- 31
Proverbs offers practical, observable wisdom for living under God in the everyday world — speech, money, marriage, friendship, work, anger. Its core thesis is in 1:7: "The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge." Chapter 31 closes with the famous portrait of the wise woman whose worth is "far above rubies."
Setting: Compiled across multiple reigns; Solomon's collection plus later additions.
Key themes: wisdom · fear of the LORD · speech · work · relationships
Memorisation aid
How to memorise Proverbs 17:22
Proverbs 17:22 contains 14 words in 2 clauses. Learn one clause at a time, then chain them. The first-letter mnemonic (FLM) under each clause is a memory hook — once you can speak the FLM from memory, the full clause follows.
- 1
A cheerful heart makes good medicine
ACHMGM
- 2
but a crushed spirit dries up the bones.
BACSDU
Frequently asked
FAQ about Proverbs 17:22
What does Proverbs 17:22 say?
Proverbs 17:22 reads: "A cheerful heart makes good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones." — from the Old Testament, Proverbs (Wisdom literature). The full verse is shown above with both the World English Bible (WEB) and King James Version (KJV) translations side by side.
What book of the Bible is Proverbs 17:22 in?
Proverbs 17:22 is in the book of Proverbs, traditionally attributed to Solomon (primarily), Agur, Lemuel and written around c. 970–700 BC. Proverbs is wisdom literature in the Old Testament, originally addressed to Young men learning the wisdom of the covenant. Best known for "trust in the LORD with all your heart" (3:5-6).
What is Proverbs 17:22 about?
Proverbs 17:22 is primarily a Bible verse about Healing. Within Proverbs, Proverbs offers practical, observable wisdom for living under God in the everyday world — speech, money, marriage, friendship, work, anger. Read the full passage above with surrounding context.
What is the difference between Proverbs 17:22 in WEB and KJV?
Proverbs 17:22 in the World English Bible (WEB) reads: "A cheerful heart makes good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones.". The King James Version (KJV) reads: "A merry8056 heart3820 doeth good3190 like a medicine1456: but a broken5218 spirit7307 drieth3001 the bones1634. like: or, to". The WEB is a modern public-domain translation that updates the KJV's 1611 English while keeping a similar formal-equivalence style. Both render the same underlying Greek or Hebrew text.
How long is Proverbs 17:22?
Proverbs 17:22 is 14 words in the WEB translation (78 characters), broken into 2 clauses. It is short and well-suited to memorisation. Estimated reading time is about 4 seconds.
How can I memorise Proverbs 17:22?
To memorise Proverbs 17:22, split it into its 2 natural clauses and learn one at a time. Repeat the full verse out loud five times, then write it from memory. Saving the verse as a photo wallpaper using our verse image studio helps daily review — the visual association with a memorable background dramatically improves recall.
Why does Proverbs 17:22 matter in Proverbs?
Proverbs offers practical, observable wisdom for living under God in the everyday world — speech, money, marriage, friendship, work, anger. Its core thesis is in 1:7: "The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge." Chapter 31 closes with the famous portrait of the wise woman whose worth is "far above rubies." Proverbs 17:22 sits within this larger story — Proverbs as a whole emphasises wisdom, fear of the LORD, speech.
How can I apply Proverbs 17:22 today?
Many readers use Proverbs 17:22 as a daily reminder verse — saving it as a phone wallpaper, sharing it on Pinterest, or memorising it for prayer. The verse studio on this page lets you download Proverbs 17:22 on 52 different backgrounds for free. Pair the verse with the surrounding chapter context shown above to understand its full meaning before applying it.
More designs
10 verses to read next
A fresh set of verses every visit — each on its own photo background. Tap any card to open the full study page.
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Matthew 11:28
““Come to me, all you who labor and are heavily burdened, and I will give you rest.”
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2 Corinthians 12:9
“He has said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Most gladly therefore I will rather glory in my weaknesses,…”
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Psalm 147:3
“He heals the broken in heart, and binds up their wounds.”
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Psalms 34:18
“Yahweh is near to those who have a broken heart, and saves those who have a crushed spirit.”
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Psalms 147:3
“He heals the broken in heart, and binds up their wounds.”
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Isaiah 53:5
“But he was pierced for our transgressions. He was crushed for our iniquities. The punishment that brought our peace was on him; and by his wounds we are healed.”
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James 5:16
“Confess your offenses to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The insistent prayer of a righteous person is powerfully effective.”
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-
Revelation 21:4
“He will wipe away from them every tear from their eyes. Death will be no more; neither will there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain, any more. The first th…”
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James 5:14-15
“Is any among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the assembly, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord, and the pra…”
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Jeremiah 17:14
“Heal me, O Yahweh, and I shall be healed. Save me, and I shall be saved; for you are my praise.”
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Proverbs 3:5-6
“Trust in Yahweh with all your heart, and don't lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight.”
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Proverbs 3:6
“In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight.”
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Proverbs 22:6
“Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it.”
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Proverbs 27:17
“Iron sharpens iron; so a man sharpens his friend’s countenance.”
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